Immunocytochemical identification and localization of APUD cells in the gut of seven stomachless teleost fishes

AIM To study the cell types,localization,distribution density and morphology of APUDcells in the intestinal mucosa of stomachlessteleost fishes.METHOD By using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex(PAP)immunocytochemical staining technique theidentification,localization and morphology ofimmunoreactive(IR)endocrine cells seattered inthe intestinal mucosa of grass carp(Cyenopharyngodon idellus),black carp(Mylopharyngodon piceus)and common carp(Cyprinus carpio)were investigated with 20kinds of antisera prepared against mammalianpeptide hormones of APUD cells,and likewise byusing avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex(ABC)method those of silver carp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix),bighead(Aristichthys nobilis),silver crucian carp(Carassius gibelio)and bluntnose black bream(Megalobrama amblyocephala)were alsostudied with 5 different antisera.Thereplacement of the first antiserum by phosphatebuffered saline(PBS)was employed as a control.IR endocrine cells were counted with asquare-mesh ocular micrometer from 10 fieldsselected randomly in every section of each partof the intestine specimen.The average numberof IR endocrine cells per mm2 was counted toquantify their distribution density.RESULT Gastrin(GAS)-,Gastric inhibitorypeptide(GIP)-,glucagon(GLU)-,glucagon-likeimmunoreactants(GLI)-,bovine pancreaticpolypeptide(BPP)-,leucine-enkephalin(ENK)-and substance P(SP)-IR endocrine cells werefound in the gut of grass carp,black carp andcommon carp,and somatostatin(SOM)-IRendocrine cells were only seen in common carp.GAS-,GIP-and GLU-IR endocrine cells werefound in the intestinal mucosa of silver carp,bighead,silver crucian carp and bluntnose blackbream.Most of IR endocrine cells had the higherdistribution density in the foregut and midgut,and were longer in shape.They had a long apicalcytoplasmic process extended to the gut lumenand a basal process extended to adjacent cellsor basement membrane and touched with it.Sometimes,the basal cytoplasmic processformed an enlarged synapse-like structure in thecontiguous part with basement membrane.Thisphenomenon provided new morphologicalevidence for neuroendocrine and paracrinesecretory function of these enteroendocrinecells.CONCLUTION At least 8 kinds of IR endocrinecells were found in the gut of stomachlessteleost species for the first time in China.TheseIR endocrine cells scattering in the gut mucosabelong to the APUD system.Among them,thehormones secreted by SP-,ENK-,SOM-and GLU-IR endocrine cells belong to the peptides of dualdistribution in the brain and gut.This providednew evidence for the concept of brain-gutpeptide.According to the cell types,distribution density,morphologicalcharacteristics and variety in shape of APUDcells in the gut of stomachless teleost fishes,itis deemed that the digestive tract of fishes isalso an endocrine organ of great importance andcomplexity.